Seattle Animal Shelter news and events

Applauding the incredible skills, dedication and compassion of veterinary technicians, Mayor Murray proclaimed Oct. 16-22, 2016, in Seattle to be “Veterinary Technician Week,” which coincides with the national week-long recognition of vet techs. The proclamation honors veterinary technicians in the Seattle Animal Shelter Spay and Neuter clinic, as well as the veterinary technician profession in general.

We are incredibly proud of our Spay and Neuter Clinic veterinary technicians. Please join us in thanking them for the amazing care they provide for Seattle’s animals every day.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Seattle Animal Shelter is closed to the public today, Oct. 19. We will continue to respond to emergency calls. Please check back or visit our website at www.seattleanimalshelter.org for updates on reopening.

Check out our educational booklet for families looking for a companion pet. We collaborated with our favorite local sheltering partner, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC), and Mud Bay, our regional pet nutrition expert, to create this Newspapers in Education publication. All Seattle Times subscribers received it last weekend and now it’s off to schools across Puget Sound to be put to use in classrooms and encourage children and their parents to make educated choices about their companion pets.

This month, pet owners in Seattle can take advantage of a “license amnesty period” to bring their expired pet licenses up to date or purchase new tags for animals not currently licensed, and the city will waive late fees and other penalties.

“Many pet owners forget to renew their licenses,” Graves said. “This amnesty period will allow those owners to get caught up without having to pay extra fines that could add up to hundreds of dollars. If you live in Seattle and have an unlicensed pet, this is a great time to get its license up to date.”

Graves explained that many people are unaware how a pet license helps to save other animals’ lives.

“Fees from pet licenses help support the Seattle Animal Shelter’s lifesaving work, such as animal rescue, rehabilitation and adoption, criminal investigation of animal cruelty and providing medical care, including low-cost spay and neuter services,” she said. “Your pet license helps your community and saves lives. It’s a little tag that has a big impact.”

Pet licenses also benefit individual pets. A pet license tells the finder of a lost pet or the shelter that the animal is owned and not a stray that should be kept or adopted out, said Graves. The tag provides the shelter’s phone number, giving a good Samaritan an easy way to help without having to find a microchip scanner. And shelter officers that encounter lost pets will use license information to contact owners immediately and many times give those pets a ride home.

In Seattle, owners must license all cats, dogs, miniature goats and potbellied pigs. One-year license fees are as follows:

The Seattle Animal Shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. For more information, call 206-386-PETS (7387), or view animals available for adoption online at www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

Today, at the National Animal Care and Control Association’s annual training conference, Ann Graves, Seattle Animal Shelter’s acting director and manager of field services, was named the 2016 Outstanding Animal Care and Control Employee of the Year! According to NACA, Ann’s nomination was considered along with other employees from across the United States, and she was selected as the employee that met the highest standards for an animal care and control employee. Ann is directly responsible for coordinating a number of sting operations that resulted in the seizure of animals in squalid conditions, the arrest and guilty plea of a fugitive charged in dog fighting, and Class C felony charges of animal fighting against an individual found with multiple roosters in his back yard (trial pending). Ann’s work protecting the public from fractious animals and irresponsible owners has received many compliments over the years. Ann is incredibly deserving of this recognition and we are proud to call her our own.

The Seattle Animal Shelter and Lynnwood Honda invite you to a free weekend barbecue and to “Fall in Love with a Pre-owned Pet,” this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lynnwood Honda, 22020 Highway 99, Edmonds. Hop on in for the barbecue and meet some of the shelter’s adoptable animals, including bunnies, cats and other critters. You can also learn about shelter programs, including fostering pets in your home and how to obtain a pet license or low-cost spay/neuter surgery.

The animals at Saturday’s event will be available for on-site adoptions.

“The Seattle Animal Shelter has wonderful pets for families looking for bundles of love,” said Don Baxter, Seattle Animal Shelter manager of animal care and volunteers. “I welcome folks to come to Lynnwood Honda on Saturday to check out these amazing animals. You may meet the perfect new addition to your family, and it’s a great opportunity to save a life.”

For Seattle residents, a two-year pet license must be purchased with each adoption. The license fee is $30 for cats and $40 for dogs. Critter adoptions do not require licensing.

In partnership with the Seattle Animal Shelter, from now through the end of the year, Lynnwood Honda will be making a donation to the shelter for every new car test drive.

“Lynnwood Honda continues to be a generous contributor to the Seattle Animal Shelter,” Baxter said. “We are grateful for their ongoing support as we try to find loving homes for our animals while joining Lynnwood Honda’s staff and customers for what is sure to be a fun event.”

The Seattle Animal Shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. For more information, call 206-386-PETS (7387), or view animals available for adoption online at www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

Eighteen kittens took over City Hall today, renamed “Kitty Hall” for the third consecutive year in a proclamation by Mayor Ed Murray. The annual Kitty Hall event showcases the Seattle Animal Shelter’s adoptable kittens and highlights the benefits of cat ownership. This year’s event featured the return of the much loved kitten tent, in which the public was invited to play with and cuddle with the kittens.

As the event got underway, two kittens visited Mayor Murray in his office before the Mayor arrived to tour the Kitty Hall event and greet attendees. New this year, Seattle Animal Shelter staff processed on-site adoptions, which allowed four kittens to go home with their new families. Shelter staff and volunteers provided a photo booth for eager kitten cuddlers while they were waiting in line, and they offered attendees information about shelter programs and services.

And this year’s Kitty Hall introduced the inaugural “Kitty Council” – three adoptable adult cats campaigning to be the “Kitty Council president” – with platforms such as low-cost spay and neuter services, pet licenses for Seattle’s cats and kittens and, of course, tuna with every meal for every cat in Seattle. Attendees voted for their favorite candidate by making donations, and “Tess,” a 4-year-old domestic shorthair mix, was named the first Kitty Council president.

The kittens that were not adopted at Kitty Hall are now available for adoption at the Seattle Animal Shelter. Tess and the other members of the Kitty Council are in foster care, and adoption inquiries may be made to the shelter.

The Seattle Animal Shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. For more information, call 206-386-PETS (7387), or view animals available for adoption online at www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

When temperatures soar – as they are expected to do in Seattle late this week and over the weekend – the hot weather can create hazards for pets. The Seattle Animal Shelter is reminding pet owners to take proper precaution this weekend, and, for those attending the annual Hempfest event, please leave your pets at home.

Pets, besides service animals, are not allowed at Hempfest. There is no safe place to leave or secure pets at the event, and the Seattle Animal Shelter warns pet owners against leaving animals in vehicles. Cars in direct sunlight can reach fatal temperatures within just a few minutes, and on hot days, even dogs left in the shade with the windows cracked are at risk of brain damage or death.

The shelter also reminds pet owners that a Washington law that went into effect in 2015 makes it a violation just to leave an animal unattended in a vehicle or enclosed space, if the animal could be harmed or killed by exposure to excessive heat or cold, lack of ventilation or lack of water. Penalties under the new law are in addition to potential animal cruelty charges. The Seattle Animal Shelter’s humane animal law enforcement officers responding to calls about animals left in hot cars will utilize all means necessary to access vehicles to remove the animals.

If you are bringing your service animal to Hempfest, the shelter reminds you to make sure it is not exposed to toxic substances and be sure that it has access to plenty of water during the festival.

The Seattle Animal Shelter also offers the following tips for protecting pets during the expected hot weather:

Never leave your animal unattended in direct sunlight. Provide a shady area for retreat, such as a dog house, porch or shady tree, and always provide cool water.

If you leave animals indoors, open screened windows, keep a fan running, provide plenty of water, and, if possible, leave them in a cool location.

Never leave animals unattended in a vehicle. Animals do not perspire like humans; they cool themselves by panting. Seats in vehicles get hot under animals’ feet and prevent them from perspiring through their paws. Temperatures rise quickly leaving them trapped and unable to escape the heat.

If you must travel with your pet, carry water. If a trip requires you to leave your pet in the car at any point, think about saving that for another day. It’s not worth the risk.

Avoid overexerting your animal in hot weather. Exercise is fine when taken in moderation, but extreme heat conditions, obesity, old age, breed and underlying disease can predispose an animal to the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

For birds, take caution and place the bird’s cage away from direct sunlight during the intense heat of the afternoon. Provide water and fruits and vegetables with high moisture content.

If you see an animal that may be in need of assistance, or if you have questions, contact the Seattle Animal Shelter at 206-386-PETS (7387). Visit www.seattleanimalshelter.org for other shelter information.

A kitten surveys his domain while Mayor Murray looks on at last year’s Kitty Hall event.

They’re baaack. Kittens are returning to City Hall, or Kitty Hall, as we like to call it. On Thursday, Aug. 25, Mayor Murray will once again rename Seattle City Hall as “Kitty Hall” for the day, to promote awareness of the Seattle Animal Shelter and encourage shelter cat adoptions and pet licensing.

Our Kitty Hall event will see the return of the much loved kitten tent, where folks can cuddle and play with a handful of kittens. This year, we’ll also be bringing adult cats – and the cats and some of the kittens will be available for on-site adoptions. This will be a great opportunity for you to soak in the cuteness AND add a furry friend to your family.

Of course, this event also highlights the wonderful, lifesaving work performed by Seattle Animal Shelter staff and volunteers. We’re hoping to raise funds at Kitty Hall to support that work by asking attendees to vote for their favorite “Kitty Council” member with a donation to the Seattle Animal Shelter. The cat with the most donations and votes will be named the “Kitty Council President.”

And there’s more – Kitty Hall is a great opportunity to learn more about the shelter and, if you’re a Seattle resident, pick up a pet license for your cat or dog. There will also be a kitty photo booth – because, well, everyone loves cute cat pictures, and now you can be in them.